Junction Ski Shop changes hands

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 438, 27 May 1992, Page 9

Junction Ski Shop changes hands

Ohakune's Junction Ski Shop has passed a crossroads in its history this month, passing into the ownership of Linda Netten and David "Inky" Inkster. The couple had been negotiating the management buy-out of the store for several months, after previous owner Mike Wiggins decided to sell up so he could spend more time with his family. Mike has owned Junction Ski & Underwater in Auckland for about four years and is concentrating his efforts there now.

Linda and Inky have been in the ski business for more than 10 years - Linda having started at JSS, and Inky having worked for Ruapehu Alpine Lifts at Whakapapa in the 70s, Turoa in the 80s, and running his own ski transport service last year. He has worked behind the scenes at JSS for several years, coming out into the open more and more. Linda started working in the retail area of the shop about 10-11 years ago, was retail manager for two years before taking on the management of

the shop for Mike four years ago, after Mike bought his Auckland shop and moved there. Why did they buy Junction Ski Shop? - "Because we had all this money we didn't know what to do with??? No, seriously now "We've been involved in the ski industry so long that, when this opportunity came up - it was the sensible thing to do. "People should stick with what they know how to do and we know the ski industry." "And we bought it because we really Turn page 10

Frompage9 enjoy it/' said Linda. "And we really like the lifestyle in Ohakune."

JSS will continue to have links with Mike Wiggins and his Auckland store. They

will be working together to bring people the extra special deals that JSS

is well-known for. "We will still be working together on our advertising and promotion - we'll still be linked together,"

said Linda. The staff at JSS will stay pretty much the same. They are: James Foubister, Sheree Drayton, Kate French,

Greg Thompson, Leanne Symons, Steve Noonan, Simon Smuts-Kennedy, Brent Saunders, Hamish Lusk and (the most

experienced coffe boy) Sean "Dougit Drinkwater (a Ruapehu College pupil and good allrounder in the ski

shop). Two new trainees are joining the staff this year - Robert Smith and Brendan Young. They will be eoine

through the normal full weekof staff training before the the winter, which is the case for all JSS staff. "All our staff go through the Kiwi Host scheme which is designed to help people help people better," said Linda. Some of the staff are in the business yearround, working in the ski business in the northern hemisphere in their winter. James Foubister is assistant manager at Snow & Rock in Kensington in London - a shop that sells more ski gear than the whole of New Zealand. Steve Noonan is also on the Snow & Rock staff as one of their boot experts .Sheree Drayton has also worked at the Kensington store. Simon SmutsKennedy is presently working as head ski mechanic in a Val Desire, France ski shop. One of the best bits of James' job in London, is out of London. For two weeks each northern winter he goes to Chamonix with all the latest gear. "We go out and thrash it to see how it stacks up," he says with glee, reminiscing about Argentiere, Brevant and the other ski fields near the town.

"So when we get back here we already know the new gear very well. And we've already been selling it for six months." He is forced to carry out this terrible duty three times each year, for two weeks each time. The staff go through all the product certification courses, on skis, boots and

bindings available to better understand the products they are selling. JSS will be offering the same product range as before, which with Junction Ski & Underwater, adds up to the biggest selection of ski product in New Zealand, said Linda. And the range is extensive. Skis come in

over 30 different models from four top brands - Rossignol, Salamon, Tyrolia and Atomic; bindings - over 40 models from Marker, Salomon, Tyrolia and Look; ski boots - over 40 models from Raichle, Salomon, Nordica, Koflach, Rossignol and Dachstein. Ski clothing at JSS

comes from Columbia, Nevica, Skitek Quicksilver, Banff, - Spirit, Fairydown, Earth Sea and Sky, Oliphant. "And we've got every accessory under the sun," said Linda. Gloves from Reusch and Zeiner, Careera goggles, "all the products that Analise Coberger won on",

glasses from Ray Ban, Killer Loop, Oakley, Bill Bass, Bucci (the latest & greatest). Murray Merkley hats feature at JSS, Briko and Toko ski tuning supplies, and underneath it all - Everwarm thermal underwear. "We've got everything you need to ski."